Gordon's speed thrills in Dodgers' victory

The second baseman used his improving on-base skills and always-electrifying speed to lead the Dodgers to a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park.

"Anytime he gets on base, our chances of scoring go way up," said right-hander Josh Beckett, Saturday's starter. "He's special out there.”

Said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly: “Anytime he gets on, you feel like you get a run. Dee’s been very good.”

In the third inning, Gordon singled up the middle to score the Dodgers’ first run of the night, then stole second and advanced to third on an error. Hanley Ramirez drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

Gordon walked in the fifth to give Ramirez the opportunity to drive in another run. Then, in the eighth, Gordon walked and advanced to second on a Yasiel Puig base on balls. Adrian Gonzalez drove him in for an insurance run.

The Dodgers produced eight hits and three walks against talented Padres right-hander Tyson Ross, continuing an offensive surge.

“I think our club has been pretty good offensively for a little bit now,” Mattingly said. “I’ve been really happy with our offense in general.”

Beckett (5-4) lowered his 2014 ERA to 2.28 – sixth-best in the majors – with another superb performance. He struck out eight while allowing only six baserunners in seven scoreless innings.

"Josh was great," Mattingly said. "That was a lot of the same from him, honestly."

The Padres didn’t get a man past first base off Beckett all night.

But in relief, left-hander Paul Maholm and right-hander Brandon League allowed three hits in a two-run eighth inning, giving San Diego a shot against Kenley Jansen in the ninth.

But Jansen locked down his 21st save one night after blowing a save chance to San Diego.

“Same game situation, same hitters, different result,” Jansen said. “I wanted to get back out there so I could turn the page, and that’s exactly what happened.”

The Dodgers (41-35) have won six of their last eight games. With National League West leader San Francisco’s victory in Arizona, the Giants stayed four games ahead of the Dodgers in the playoff race.